The year 2024 has been marked by an alarming rise in data breaches, with cyberattacks impacting millions of people worldwide. From financial data theft to healthcare breaches, these cybersecurity incidents have revealed the vulnerabilities in major organizations, highlighting the need for more robust protection of personal information.
One of the biggest breaches of the year occurred in August, when WazirX, a leading cryptocurrency exchange in India, suffered a massive hack. Cybercriminals stole $230 million worth of cryptocurrency, affecting nearly half of WazirX’s reserves. Although the company paused trading and withdrawals, it has promised to compensate users by distributing the losses. However, users can only trade 55% of their crypto assets, and the remaining funds will be treated with caution in case the stolen assets are recovered.
Another significant breach took place with AT&T, one of the largest telecom operators in the United States. The company faced two separate data breaches, the first involving 110 million records of phone numbers and call logs, and the second involving 73 million customer records, including postal addresses and encrypted passcodes. While the data hasn’t been made publicly available, it poses a potential risk to millions, especially with the stolen credentials.
In March, AT&T’s data was again compromised on a publicly accessible cybercrime forum, where sensitive information including 7.6 million encrypted passcodes was exposed. Despite efforts to secure the data, AT&T admitted that it was unclear how the breaches occurred, leaving many of its customers vulnerable to identity theft.
Star Health and Allied Insurance, one of India’s leading insurance providers, was also targeted in 2024. Hackers used Telegram chatbots to steal personal data of over 31 million policyholders, including sensitive medical and tax information. The data was subsequently posted for sale online. Star Health has since filed legal complaints against the platforms facilitating the sale of this stolen data.
Moreover, a massive data leak involving Snowflake, a cloud data company, affected several major organizations, including Ticketmaster, Advance Auto Parts, and TEG. Hackers exploited compromised engineer credentials to steal data from over 165 companies, including personal and financial records, highlighting the risks of inadequate cybersecurity measures.
Lastly, UnitedHealth Group reported a breach through its subsidiary Change Healthcare in early 2024. A ransomware attack exposed medical, billing, and personal information of millions of patients across the U.S. The company has acknowledged that the breach could affect up to 33% of Americans, with the final impact yet to be fully understood.
Key Takeaways:
- Massive Financial Losses: From stolen cryptocurrencies to compromised financial records, hackers continue to target high-value data.
- Healthcare and Personal Information at Risk: Sensitive medical and personal details of millions of individuals were exposed, increasing the risk of identity theft and fraud.
- Corporate Responsibility: Companies like WazirX, AT&T, and Star Health are scrambling to mitigate the damage, but the broader cybersecurity community must take a stronger stance against these attacks.
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